Construction of a steam exhaust valve for venting radiators



July 29, 1958 M. J. DE LEoNARDls 2,845,227

CONSTRUCTION A STEAM EXHAUST VALVE FOR VENTING RADIATORS Filedv July 18,195e United States CONSTRUCTION F A STEAM EXHAUST VALVE FOR VENTINGRADIATORS This invention relates to a steam exhaust valve for ventingradiators.

Valves heretofore employed for this purpose have been unsatisfactorybecause their operation is dependent upon pressure. Pressure regulationof such valves is unsatisfactory because it may result in the valveclosing before the radiator surfaces have been properly heated, forexample, the steam entering the radiator may push against cold airtherein with such force that the air itself closes the outlet valve, forthe valve may close due to water collected in the radiator resultingfrom condensation of steam.

While it has been heretofore suggested to provide radiator exhaustvalves operative in response to temperature changes within the radiator,attempts to provide such valves in the past have been unsatisfactory.

It is the object of this invention to provide a temperature responsiveradiator valve which is simple, practical and effective. e

The invention will best be understood if the following description isread with respect to the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a common form of radiator, the numberof sections of which may be increased or decreased as desired.

Figure 2 is a side elevation mostly in vertical cross section of a valvestructure connected near the top of a radiator and embodying theinvention disclosed herein.

Figure 3 is a detail side elevational view mostly in vertical crosssection showing the valve port, means for closing and opening the valveport, and means for keeping the latter means in alignment with the valveport while being moved to and from closing position, taken on the line3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a top plan view partly in cross section taken on the line4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view partly in cross section, taken on theline 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a side elevation partly in cross section, taken on the line6 6 of Figure 2; and

Figure'7 is an exploded view showing in perspective the means foropening and closing the valve, the cage for supporting it in alignmentwith the valve discharge port, and the upper bifurcated end of thebimetal arm by which the valve opening and closing member is movedwithin the cage.

In the embodiment Iof my invention disclosed herein, the valve comprisesa base portion 10, including a radially projecting coupling portion 12the extremity of which is screw threaded for insertion in an internallythreaded port of a radiator, and the cap portion 14 supported by thebase and extending upwardly from the base.

From the main port two conduits 16 and 1S extend through the coupling12, conduit 16 being disposed above conduit 18 and being of larger crosssection to admit steam from the radiator into the valve withoutinterference from steam condensate returning from the radiator tothevalve through the smaller conduit 1-8.

The cap 14 has a vent port 20 adjacent its upper end atent Q Mice and abimetal arm 22 is supported from its lower end I with its upper free endextending upwardly within said cap portion. The upper extremity 22a ofthe bimetal arm 22 is bifurcated to slidingly engage the member 24 bywhich the port 20 is opened and closed. The lower end portion 22b ofbimetal arm 22 is bent over and an adjustment screw 26 extends, upwardlythrough the bent over end 2211 against stop means 28 provided adjacentthe lower end of the cap, and as shown herein consisting of a projectionextending inwardly of the cap.

The valve'opening and closing member 24 is loosely -supported within atubular cage 30, the forward end of which is reduced and inserted intothe vent port 20. The

vleading end 24a of valve opening and closing member 24 is tapered toseat within the vent port 20,y or more exactly within the reduced endportion 30a of the cage. The end portion 30a is surrounded by an annularring 30h projecting from the shoulder portion at the interface ofreduced 4portion with the main body of cage 30. Ring 30h projects intoand slightly beyond vent port 20, and the short length of it whichprotrudes outside the cap 14 is overturned thus locking the cage inplace.

'Ihe body portion of member 24 is grooved with a circumferential groove24h and the arms fof the bifurcated end portion 22a of bimetal arm22'extend into this groove on opposite sides of member 24 thus making asliding connection with-member 24 which is maintained regardless oflengthening and shortening of arm 22 as it bends and unbends in responseto variation in temperature changes within the valve. 'Ihe cage 30 iscut away providing spaces 31 and 32 in its opposite side wall portionsto permit the upper end of arm 22 to extend into and through the cageand to engage member 24 within the cage.

In operation the cage 30 serves to maintain member 24 in alignment withthe vent port 20 without regard to the bending and unbending of bimetalarm 22, and the latter, as it bends and unbends, moves arm 22 forwardlyand rearwardly within cage 30 thus closing and opening the valve port.By adjustment of screw 26 the position of bimetal arm 22 may be adjustedby swinging it either forwardly or rearwardly within the cap as may berequired to cause it to move member 24 to close and open the vent port20 at the desired temperatures. This adjustment is ordinarily onlyperformed at the factory in accordance with the particular heating`system for which the valve is intended.

The structure disclosed herein has several advantages. It is much moresensitive in its operation than the pressure responsive valves of theprior art, thus providing much better control of the heating of thespace for which it is employed. In its operation it is free from thespitting of water which is an objectionable feature commonly found inpressure operated valves. It is simple and durable and if necessary anyof the parts may be easily replaced individually. Because pressureoperated valves often close before a radiator is more than partlyheated, due to closure of the valve either by air trapped in theradiator in front of the steam or due to the partial lling up of theradiator with water from steam condensate,

such valves result in the frequent turning on and off of the heatingsystem and very inecient use of the heating fuel employed. By my device,due to its not being effected by the pressure of air within the radiatorand because of the provision of separate conduits for admitting steamand exhausting steam condensate from the valve, a substantial saving infuel is accomplished. I have found that the use of my Valves in place ofpressure responsive valves of the prior art may effect a saving of asmuch as fifty percent in heating fuel.

There has thus been provided a steam exhaust valve for venting radiatorsin which the above mentioned objects are embodied together with manypractical advantages.

What I claim is:

l. A steam exhaust valve assembly for venting radiators comprising, ahousing having a port adjacent its upper end, means for interconnectings aid housing and a radiator portion of a steam heating system saidmeans comprising a steam supply port and a liquid condensate returnport, a tubular valve support member having an annular forward portionextending through said port and iiXed therein in a manner providing aseal between its outer surface and the housingand deiining a vent portconcentric with the port in thehousing wall, the body of said valvesupport extending into the housing and having a portion of its wall cutaway to prevent the accumulai tion of sediment within said supportmember, and to give entrance to the bifurcated upper end of a bi-metalarm, a bi-metal arm the upper end of which is bifurcated, means forsupporting said bi-metal arm within said housing with its bifurcatedupper end extending intok the said cut away portion of `said supportmember, and a valve member contained within said support member andmovable axially within said support member for opening and closing theport defined by the forward end of said support member, said valvemember being slotted intermediate its ends to make sliding engagementwith the arms of the bifurcated upper end of said bi-metal arm t wherebyas said arm is bent or straightened in response to temperaturevariations said valve member is moved within said support member foropening and closing the port defined by the forward portion of saidvalve support 30 member.

2. A steam exhaust valve assembly for venting radiators comprising, ahousing having a port adjacent its upper end, means adjacent the lowerend of said housing for interconnecting said housing and a radiatorportion of a steam heating system said means comprising a steam supplyport and a liquid condensate return port, a bi -metal arm, means forsupporting said bi-metal arm Within said housing, a tubular valvesupport member, means for securing said support member projectinginwardly of` the housing in alignment with said port, the body of saidvalve support having a portion of its wall cut away to prevent theaccumulation of sediment within said support member, and to giveentrance to the upper portion of said bi-metal arm, a valve membercontained within said support member and movable axially within saidsupport member for opening and closing the said port in the housing, andmeans for providing a sliding engagement between the upper portion ofsaid bi-metal arm and said valve member whereby, as said arm is bent orstraightened in response to temperature variations, said valve member ismoved within said support member for opening and closing said port.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS265,239 Brown Oct. 3, 1882 614,276 Russell Nov. 15, 1898 703,886 AllenJuly l, 1902 2,615,108 Lee Oct. 21, 1952

